Claude AI for Story Deep Diving Analysis

Have you heard of the ChatGPT competitor Claude? Are you a writer looking for basic feedback on your manuscript? Wouldn’t it be cool if AI like ChatGPT could somehow become that reader?

Well, if you know anything about ChatGPT, then you may know that it can process or summarize just about any text you feed it. But you may also know of its limitations, that questions and answers are limited to a combined process of about 4,000 tokens or approximately 3,000 words per generation.

This is fine for blog writers. The typical blog runs for less than 3,000 words.

But those of us who write fiction may not love these limitations as much, especially if getting a fair analysis means copy/pasting the text right into the chat box. While providing ChatGPT context to the question is important, cluttering the chat with that context can be unnerving.

Claude by Anthropic, a direct competitor to ChatGPT, can short-circuit these limitations by providing users a direct upload of their text files or PDFs and a processing limit of 100,000 tokens or about 75,000 words.

This means Claude can read, analyze, and provide feedback on all short stories and novellas, and handle many if not most novels.

The question is, does it do a reputable job with this analysis?

The short answer is “yes, sort of,” but my longer, more detailed answer can be found in my YouTube video “Story Analysis with Claude AI” and in my article “Analyzing a Story with Claude AI” on my official author site. In both places, I ask Claude key questions about my novella Gutter Child (YouTube) and my short story “Amusement” (author site), and you may be surprised by the answers it gave me in each case.

If you’d like to see how well Claude can interpret your fiction, then check out the YouTube video and the site article. Or just give Claude a try yourself. For reference, I asked Claude to identify the characters in each story and their relationships to the main character. I also asked it the locations that appear in each chapter (Note: The location questions led to Claude’s weakest answers) and the genres the stories fall into. Its answers to each question demonstrated its ability to process searchable information as well as interpreted information. For my deep dive into “Amusement,” I also asked Claude to produce a summary of the story and craft a blurb for its Amazon page. Given that novels can still tax its maximum token input, I would test this on short stories and novellas for now.

NaNoWriMo 2023: Are You Ready?

Well, the year is almost over. I know, it just started, but you should’ve figured out by now that time is stuck in a wind tunnel. So, no need to act surprised.

But if you’re a writer, then whispers of the end of the year is good news because that means National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as the trendy kids call it, is just around the corner. And that means you get to start that novel you always say you’re going to write but never do!

Question is, how do you prepare? Are you dreaming about your story right now? Do you wish it was November already so you could just get started on it? Does the thought of having to begin yet another novel from scratch because November is coming, even though you’ve got 12 other WIPs sitting in a drawer that you can never get to because the year flies by too fast and NaNoWriMo is always around the corner, does that raise your anxiety and cause you to shake?

Well, the good news is that you have an ally in this journey toward November in a Scrivener template called the NaNoWriMo Basic Template, which you can get here on this very blog site.

What is the NaNoWriMo Basic Template for Scrivener? Well, it’s a specially formatted Scrivener document that gives you a place to plan your NaNoWriMo story, write it inside of dedicated daily documents that are designed to track your progress toward 50,000 words, and plan out any social media campaign you wish to use to promote your work-in-progress.

But it’s also a place to continue your project after November is over.

And as of 2023, it’s also a place where you can start early.

Yes, why wait until November to start your NaNoWriMo project when your fingers are itching now? Or why start one from scratch when you could get that WIP pile down from 12 to 11 this year? If you download the NaNoWriMo Basic Template for Scrivener (2023 Edition) right now, you could beat the clock and have your story actually finished by December 1st. Who knows? It might even be the formula to keep your momentum hot to the very end.

Just remember that using a Scrivener template means you have to own a copy of Scrivener first.

The 2023 Edition is available now, and once again, you can find it here.

But, if you need to see it in action first, you can watch the video below for more information.

Watch to find out more about the NaNoWriMo Basic Template for Scrivener (2023 Edition).

Good luck with your novel this year! Be sure to leave me a comment if this template is useful to you.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 58: Discussing “Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot” by Jane K. Cleland)

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Regardless of genre or intention, all stories need certain elements to keep readers turning pages, and these elements are often tied to the emotional responses that readers have over the events happening on each page. Without these responses, the content goes stale and ultimately forgotten, so mastering them is wise.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. This week we face the reality that novels of any genre should have emotional markers and identifiers that hinge on suspense, take root in structure, and adhere to plot. Fortunately, we get that dose of reality in Jane K. Cleland’s master work, Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot, our focus book of the week.

Join me in this week’s video as we discuss just how to properly take a reader on an exciting ride through these essential storytelling devices by exploring the depths of what this book covers and learning how to keep readers captivated by the spell our words cast. It won’t be as pretentious as this text implies. But it should be insightful. Or fun.

There’s only one way to find out.

Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories That Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats

by Jane K. Cleland

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 240 pages

·  ISBN-10: 159963967X

·  ISBN-13: 978-1599639673

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books (April 28, 2016)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

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The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 57: Discussing “How to Write a Page Turner” by Jordan Rosenfeld)

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Remember the last time you set a book down? Was it because it was 3am and you had to be up in four hours? Or was it because you were standing in line somewhere and your number was called and you didn’t want to be rude? Or was it because you got to the end and had to set it down (because it would’ve been weird to keep reading at that point)?

Then you probably understand the appeal of a book that keeps your fingers turning pages. Like a treasure hunter who keeps digging because he or she just needs the mystery solved once and for all, or a desperate single man or lady eating Tinder photos like they’re potato chips, we just have to get to the end, so we can catch our breaths and celebrate or cry at the result.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. This week we take a look at How to Write a Page Turner by writing instructor superstar Jordan Rosenfeld, a craft book that teaches writers how to keep those pages turning because the reader has to know what’s coming and not because the room is hot and the fan is broken.

Check out my video to find out the rest of the story.

How To Write a Page Turner: Craft a Story Your Readers Can’t Put Down

by Jordan Rosenfeld

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 240 pages

·  ISBN-10: 1440354340

·  ISBN-13: 978-1440354342  

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books (March 19, 2019)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 56: Discussing “How to Write a Mystery” by Mystery Writers of America)

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The holiday season is here, which means it’s time to expect all sorts of holiday themed cheer inundating our books, movies, and television screens for the next week or so. In the world of novel writing, this means Christmas books will dominate the bookshelves, as well as maybe our hearts.

But then what do we expect? January is just around the corner. Will we still care about the holidays come January 2nd? Will we still be able to buy eggnog at the grocery store? Will we still want to read those holiday books while drinking eggnog from the grocery store?

The fact is, some books are popular only in December (and sometimes July). But others are popular year round, especially those of a particular genre. Today, we’ll discuss how to write books from that one such evergreen genre, the mystery (and thriller) novel. And we’ll do so by exploring curated content as presented in the fairly recent addition to the “How-to Write” marketplace, How to Write a Mystery by Mystery Writers of America and edited by the legendary Lee Child.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf.

Be sure to watch my latest video taking the deep dive into relevancy for this awesome book.

How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America

by Mystery Writers of America, Edited by Lee Child and Laurie R. King

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Hardcover: 336 pages

·  ISBN-10: ‎1982149434

·  ISBN-13: ‎978-1982149437

·  Publisher: Scribner (April 27, 2021)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 55: Discussing “Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel” by Hallie Ephron)

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Pretentious authors who believe literature should represent high art often scoff at genre fiction as “beneath them,” but genre fiction authors are the ones who typically make all the money. One such genre, mystery, is among the most popular with readers. Not the top genre, of course—that honor would have to go to romance—but it’s up there with thrillers, which blends mystery, action, and horror into a tight, exciting package, and falls leagues beyond poetry and literary fiction, which rarely entices a reader to devour it all in one sitting.

But, despite what flowery literary fiction writers may think, writing a mystery (or any genre for that matter) is no brainless task. It takes planning and structure to pen a competent mystery, as well as understanding its tropes and all of the conventions that classify the work as belonging to a genre.

It’s actually much harder to write than flowery literary fiction. Unlike literary fiction, where the plot makes little difference and the language itself is the only thing that sets it apart from other works, readers of mysteries and other genres have an expectation for the presence of certain scenes, events, and actions that the writer ignores to his peril. And no writer wants to lose his audience because he doesn’t know what he should be writing.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. This week we look at a book that breaks down the conventions of mystery and helps the mystery author not only to write his or her book competently, but also market it. Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Hallie Ephron is one of the best books on mystery writing that you’ll find today. It’s a complete top-to-bottom package that should not be missed.

Check out this week’s video for more details and see if it’s right for you.

Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel Revised and Expanded Edition: The Complete Guide to Mystery, Suspense, and Crime

by Hallie Ephron

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 304 pages

·  ISBN-10: 1440347166

·  ISBN-13: ‎978-1440347160

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books; Second edition (January 13, 2017)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 54: Discussing “Make a Scene” by Jordan Rosenfeld)

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One of the common trends you’ll find in your average craft book on writing is that they all pretty much say the same things. After 54 episodes of The Writer’s Bookshelf, you’re going to get some overlap.

But through repetition comes learning, and through learning comes practice…or, maybe it’s the other way around.

Either way, reading yet another book that charts your writer’s journey from the beginning of a scene to its end, while considering all motivations, themes, etc. in between, is no bad thing. It reinforces what you’ve learned before so that you don’t forget it the moment it becomes important to bring it forward.

Not to mention, each new book on the same old story presents that familiar tale through a new perspective, and it could very well be the one that finally clicks with your brain. Ever said “a-ha” while reading a book that repeats the concepts you already know, save for one tweak? Well, now’s your chance to say it again. Possibly.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. This week, we cover Make a Scene (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Jordan Rosenfeld, the next great book you’ve already read but should read again. And get used to that author’s name because she’ll be making several appearances this season, including one we’ve already covered.

Check out the latest video to see what I have to say about it.

Make a Scene Revised and Expanded Edition: Writing a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time

by Jordan Rosenfeld

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 272 pages

·  ISBN-10: 1440351414

·  ISBN-13: 978-1440351419

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books; Revised edition (July 19, 2017)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 53: Discussing “The Plot Whisperer” by Martha Alderson)

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Years ago, back when I’d bring books to work to read during moments of downtime, I spent one of those dry sessions reading through this week’s Writer’s Bookshelf title, The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson. I’d since forgotten what I’d learned, so I recently went back and re-read it (at home, where I have fewer distractions), and marveled at how much I’d missed when I’d given it just half of my attention before.

This book is a gold mine of information on how to plot your stories wisely, keeping tension, conflict, goals, and even backstory in mind. It even comes with charts. It’s an important book for The Writer’s Bookshelf, and even more important for your writer’s bookshelf.

Welcome back. Find out more about this must-read resource in this week’s video.

Note: This week’s video comes with a section where I show you how to reproduce Alderson’s plotting chart in Microsoft Excel. It’s a Writer’s Bookshelf bonus!

The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master

by Martha Alderson

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 256 pages

·  ISBN-10: ‎1440525889

·  ISBN-13: ‎978-1440525889

·  Publisher: Adams Media (October 15, 2011)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.

The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 52: Discussing “The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus” by Fred White)

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Have you ever sat down to write a book and realized you have no ideas? Or, have you started writing with the belief that the idea you had was actually good, just to realize after the fact that it really wasn’t? Or, have you ever gotten halfway through a novel and great idea, just to find out that it needed just half a book to fully explore?

If so, then you may appreciate this week’s craft book.

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. This week, we take a look at The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus by Fred White, a collection of 2,000 ideas broken down by category, topic, and situation. If you find that ideas are tough to come by, then this book may be the key to unlocking your imagination once again.

To find out more, check out my latest video.

The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus: An Interactive Guide for Developing Ideas for Novels and Short Stories

by Fred White

Website (Facebook Page)

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: 320 pages

·  ISBN-10: ‎1599638223

·  ISBN-13: 978-1599638225

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books; 1st edition (September 30, 2014)

Now, if this book scratches the itch but doesn’t cure it, then don’t despair. You can find even more ideas by visiting my custom Book Ideas Generator on my official author site. Hope you’ll find what you’re looking for there. But even if you can’t (and that may be the case if too few readers and authors participate), then I’d suggest you invite your readers and other writer friends to also check it out and share their ideas. If enough people participate, then this could be a great place to get inspiration and discover the next great read. Give it a try and leave or take your next big idea.

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

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The Writer’s Bookshelf: Recommended References and Writing Resources (Episode 51: Discussing “A Writer’s Guide to Persistence” by Jordan Rosenfeld)

Title Image for The Writer’s Bookshelf Episode 51

Welcome back to The Writer’s Bookshelf. Once again, it’s time for a new season of goodness with an even newer crop of even more written goodness. After fifty episodes, you definitely know how this works, assuming you’ve been following along.

But in case you haven’t, here’s what you’ve missed:

Series Overview

Season One Recap

Season Two Recap

Now, for the first few weeks, this season will cover familiar territory. We’ll once again dive into those comfortable crafting waters that include plotting, character developing, and the stuff you’ve come to expect by now if you’re caught up with the series. This is important for any writer who needs more references than what the first two seasons cover. It will also shine a spotlight on the books that deserved coverage in the first two seasons, but for the sake of time, had to wait until now. We’ll be hitting those books first.

But then…

We’ll be moving into this season’s main event: the genre books.

Yes, genre. The thing that literary authors hate but commercial authors love. Genre. We’ll be priming those books up in the second half of the season. So, stay tuned.

But for today, we’ll be starting with our usual warmup, the prep book. In Season One, we launched with an overview of the definitive author’s starter book, On Writing by Stephen King, a book that every author agrees a newbie should read even if he or she chooses not to follow its advice. In Season Two, we followed the series with the kick-to-the-groin reminder that authors have to write, no matter what, in the cult classic The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

In Season Three (this season), we’ll continue that trend with a new “f(i)eld” author, but not a new Ste(ph/v)en. This season, we’ll begin with the inspirational, five-star-rated, pseudo-classic A Writer’s Guide to Persistence by Jordan Rosenfeld. And we will love it.

Ready? Great, then get your coffee because this season will be an education.

So, what’s the secret to writing with persistence? Is it as simple as “putting your butt in the chair,” as Steven Pressfield may recommend? Or just writing every day, as Stephen King suggests? Well, no. It’s more than that. And this book will cover many angles and solutions regarding the author’s battle with persistence, including the need for resilience in the face of rejection, among many others.

Yes, persistence covers many avenues, and with this book’s help, you can confidently approach each situation with acceptance and grit.

Ready to find out more? Then check out this week’s video for the reasonably full breakdown of what to expect.

A Writer’s Guide To Persistence: How to Create a Lasting and Productive Writing Practice

by Jordan Rosenfeld

Website

Amazon Metadata:

·  Paperback: ‎240 pages

·  ISBN-10: ‎1599638843

·  ISBN-13: 978-1599638843

·  Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books (May 13, 2015)

Check out other entries in the Writer’s Bookshelf series here.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, and do all of the things that convince me you like this kind of information and want more like it.